


Cupid's Poison

by thatstarlitsky



Series: How the Stars Came to Be [1]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Goth Nightclub, Goths, M/M, Nightclub, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-24 06:46:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7498236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatstarlitsky/pseuds/thatstarlitsky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jaehwan never thought he’d find himself stumbling into Starlight, a Goth nightclub, by mistake. More than that, he never thought he’d find himself falling for Ravi, a man with plastic fangs and too much eyeliner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1 - 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is up on my AFF page under the username starlitskies under the universal title of "How the Stars Came to Be".  
> Honestly I half sorta forgot this place existed and I realized that I had an account for it and I should probably start uploading my stories here too because--really. Why wouldn't I?
> 
> So here is the start of "How the Stars Came to Be", which is an ongoing short story collection that will have at minimum, 9 separate stories. I have a lot planned for it.

For the exterior of a nightclub, Starlight looked positively normal. The windows were blacked out, a few gleaming neon signs winking in the windows announcing the policies and the schedules – apparently there was open microphone on Wednesday nights from seven to ten in the evening, and live performances Saturday and Sunday at ten. Most surprising of all however, was the lack of a bouncer and a line up to get inside.

It was the first red flag for Jaehwan.

Biting his lip, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking the address that had been sent in the group chat. He checked the GPS on the dashboard of his car, pursing his lips. They matched. This was the place, as unusual as it looked.

Climbing out of his car, Jaehwan sent a quick message confirming he’d arrived. He looked up at the sign above the door, taking in the elegantly painted silver logo and the pretty stars that seemed to gleam beneath the lights. Jaehwan chewed his lip, turning his eyes to the door, realizing he couldn’t hear the sound of pounding music he’d come to associate with nightclubs.

Again, another red flag went up.

Feeling his phone vibrate in his hand, Jaehwan looked down at it, reading the text message his friend Jimin had sent.

_We’re inside. Just come in,_

Jaehwan was tempted to text him to come out and get him, but he decided why not play this stupid game. Obviously this was another one of their gags. It always happened when they went clubbing. They’d send Jaehwan on a wild goose chase through the crowd of some club on the off chance that he’d find his friends – sometimes he didn’t. As irritated as it made him on a regular basis, he still insisted on tagging along when he was in the mood.

Taking a breath, Jaehwan pulled open the door and stepped into Starlight. Instantly, he began to hear the music, a faint, thrumming trance in a minor key by the sound of it. It had an unusually enchanting sound to it, something Jaehwan found he liked a lot more than the heavy bass that thudded though other night clubs. As the door swung shut behind him, Jaehwan paused, letting his eyes adjust to the dim black light of the staircase, taking in the neon painted walls and swallowing thickly.

Pentagrams gleamed in the black light, their symbols painted with fluid brushstrokes. There were more silver stars scattered about, each one shimmering like the stars might twinkle in the night sky. Jaehwan’s white shirt had lit up like the fourth of July, something he was generally entertained with, but thanks to the hellish symbols all around him, he found himself not wanting to take another step further.

Shaking his head slightly, he berated himself for being superstitious. It was a nightclub, not the headquarters for a demon worshipping cult. He stepped down the stairs, hearing the melodic trance steadily become louder. His eyes found a sign hanging just above the second door reading ‘Don’t piss off the Fairies, and it brought a smile to his face. Maybe this place was more humorous than satanic.

Pushing on the door at the bottom of the stairs, it opened for him easily without a sound. The interior of the club was filled with more black lights, the lasers and flashing lights few and far between. What caught his attention the most were the eyes that turned in his direction, some glinting in the black light with the aid of what must’ve been solid white contact lenses. More than that, everyone in the club was wearing black, or some sort of colour other than white that shone dully in the light. It didn’t take long to realize Jaehwan stood out, probably shining like the sun in the middle of a sea of darkness.

And there was no sign of Jimin and his friends. Jaehwan wanted to scream.

A hand on his arm made him jump in surprise. Jaehwan’s gaze snapped to a slightly shorter man with brilliant cherry red hair. His eyeliner was laid on thick, his eyes looking to be two sizes larger than normal. Jaehwan might’ve thought it was cute if he wasn’t nearly shaking in his shoes.

“How’d you find yourself here?” The man asked, his lips curling into a smile.

“I...” Jaehwan stammered, realizing that though people were still glancing his way, they weren’t... _staring_ like he didn’t belong. Jaehwan felt more than a little relieved. “My friends said they’d be here,” he finally managed to get out.

The man hummed, nodding his head before releasing his arm and beckoning him. Though it was the last thing he wanted to do, Jaehwan walked deeper into the club, following the stranger. More eyes turned in his direction, and Jaehwan unintentionally met the eyes of a girl with heavy piercings, her skirt and hair layered with acid green amongst the black. Her lips and nails were painted the same shade, and her eyelashes were abnormally long. He quickly looked away, not wanting to stare too hard despite the fact that a smile had grown on her coloured lips.

“We’ll start at one end,” the red haired man said, “and you can search all the tables until you find them,”

“I’ll be honest,” Jaehwan finally said, a lump forming in his throat. “I don’t think they’re here,”

The red haired man paused before the turned around, raising an eyebrow that disappeared beneath thick, crimson bangs. “So...?”

“They’d think me walking into a nightclub like this is funny,” Jaehwan stated, wishing he could be angry at his friends but somehow not finding it in his heart to be. He was just disappointed that they would do this to him – again.

The man hummed before turning and starting back towards a long bar that curved along a corner of the club. He slipped behind it, gesturing for Jaehwan to sit. Though part of him wanted to leave, the other part of him just didn’t want to fight it. The joke would be on them if Jaehwan went through the night without a twinge of anger on his face.

“Do you drink?” The man asked, a rather warm smile curling his lips. “Or would you like something non-alcoholic?”

“Ah...” Jaehwan scratched the back of his neck, wondering if a shot would ease his nerves. Then again, it was less that he was frightened and more he was just a little upset. He didn’t want to get wasted, but he was definitely in the mood for a pick-me-up. “No alcohol, I think,” he says. “Do you have anything...uh...sweet?”

The man smiled even wider as he nodded his head. “Do you like strawberries? I think a smoothie would do you good right now. It’s on me, alright?”

Jaehwan’s eyes widened a little, and he nodded his head. The man gave a little excited clap before he practically floated off to the blender to mix the drink. He was amazed, really, that this complete stranger would show him so much kindness and so soon. At any other club, people just sent him pitiful gazes at the fact that he was alone and his friends had more than likely ditched him.

While the bar tender made his drink, Jaehwan allowed himself to look over his shoulder, taking in the club around him. There were countless tables scattered about, just like a café. Each one appeared to be painted with a pentagram that was unique to the table. The walls and ceiling were painted with more shimmering stars and there was a mural of a beautiful fallen angel who was blowing the stars out of her palms. On the far back wall was a stage, the curtains ruffling in the quiet drafts that slipped through the club. Jaehwan recalled the sign out front saying there were live shows Saturday and Sunday. He silently began to wonder if he’d walked into a strip club. Then again, by the civility of the attendees, Jaehwan guessed it might’ve been a little more than a simple strip club if it was.

The click of a glass being set down made Jaehwan’s head turn forwards again. He caught the bartender smiling at him, flushing a little in embarrassment and looking down at the smoothie. It was as pink as any other and topped with what looked like far more whipped cream than necessary with a slice of strawberry placed delicately on top. Considering it was a nightclub, it was the nicest looking smoothie he’d ever seen.

“Thank you,” Jaehwan said softly, wrapping his hands around it.

“It’s no trouble,” the stranger said. “You’re not the first to wander into Starlight because of their friend’s... _distasteful_ sense of humour, and you probably won’t be the last,”

“Do they stick around?” Jaehwan couldn’t help but ask.

Shaking his head, the bartender adjusted a few things out of sight before looking back up at Jaehwan. “They usually run out as soon as they realize they walked into a Goth nightclub,” he laughs softly, tilting his head to the side as he studied Jaehwan. “You can call me N by the way,”

“N?” Jaehwan was only momentarily confused before he realized it must’ve been a chosen name of some sort. Who was he to question it? “I’m...Jaehwan,”

N’s lips curled into a brilliant smile once again as he nodded. “Jaehwan, it’s nice to meet you,”

Admittedly, it really was. He hadn’t expected to find a nightclub like this to be...comfortable? It was unusual, yes, but there was something very relaxing about it – despite the fact that he didn’t fit in at all.

Sipping the strawberry smoothie – which was incredibly delicious – Jaehwan allowed himself to quietly watch the comings and goings of the club, seeing N prepare drinks for people who came up to the bar. As it turned out, there was also a cook who tucked himself behind the closed kitchen door and appeared only when he had food to deliver. He eyed Jaehwan with surprise when he came out for the first time before he quickly moved on from it, disappearing back through the door to allow the waiters, dressed in clothes just as dark as the attendees, to take the food to the tables. It was Jaehwan’s turn to be surprised when the same man slipped back out of the kitchen barely ten minutes later with a folded black shirt in his hands.

“Um...” Jaehwan took the shirt with gentle fingers before smiling. “Thank you,” he pulled the shirt over his head while the cat like eyes watched him quietly. It was a little unnerving, but Jaehwan somehow knew he meant very little offense. His stares felt less judgemental and more like he was just watching for the sake of doing so.

He nodded his head once the shirt covered up the blinding white of his button up and retreated back through the door, the bright light of the kitchen disappearing from sight when it swung shut behind him.

“That was Leo,” N said, noticing Jaehwan’s baffled expression. “He’s one of our chefs. He’s quiet, but he...understands. Don’t be afraid of him even though he doesn’t smile much. He’s not a very verbally expressive person,”

“Ah,” Jaehwan nodded his head, returning to his smoothie. Now that he had Leo’s shirt, he felt less exposed, although there was still that small, out of place feeling that came with not knowing the culture of the environment he was in. The question was, however, did he want to understand?

Though the Goth stereotype easily applied to Starlight, it also didn’t apply in so many ways. Over the ethereal trance, he could hear the bubbling of conversation, and there was a group of people on the dance floor just in front of the stage, their bodies twisting in the same manner they might have at a normal nightclub. He’d assumed Goth had been darkness, demon worship and doom and gloom, but it seemed that wasn’t the case. More than that, not everyone was cloaked in black, though there was one man wearing what looked like Dracula’s cape sipping a vibrantly red drink that could’ve been wine, but might’ve not been. It looked like a Halloween party, though it was the middle of June.

“What do you think?” N suddenly asked, having returned to standing in front of him now that the barrage of orders had settled down. “It’s not so bad, right?”

Jaehwan hummed in agreement, nodding his head. “I expected...I don’t know...more candles?” He shrugged his shoulders.

N let out a cheerful laugh, one that sounded almost like bell chimes. “I’m glad you’re not afraid. I have to ask though, how do you feel about the supernatural?”

“Um...” Jaehwan thought it over for a moment. “I guess it’s alright...? I mean, I believe in ghosts and things,”

N hummed at that, nodding his head. “For some of us it’s more than just believing. Me? I love fairies, which is why I wanted to be one, despite the outside world constantly saying that such things simply don’t exist,”

“Is that what inspired your appearance...?” Jaehwan couldn’t help but ask, thinking about the Dracula man.

N nodded his head, smiling even brighter than before. “Yes! Lately, I’ve really been feeling the pinkish-red. Do you like it?” He ruffled a hand through his hair, emphasising the brightness of it. “I’m thinking of trying purple once the roots grow in, but right now I’m attached to this one,”

Despite how unusual the conversation seemed to be, especially since N seemed to be self-identifying as a fairy, he nodded his head. As odd as it was, Jaehwan saw very little sense in putting down someone’s version of reality.

N smiled again, leaning heavily on the bar and craning his rather long neck to eye the large clock that ticked the hour. It currently read five minutes to ten.

“I was asking because the shows are going to start soon,” N said, turning back to Jaehwan. “They’ll go for about an hour, but if you stick around you might pick up a few new things that catch your interest,”

Jaehwan laughed a little. “You sound like you want me to take an interest in your fashion statements,”

“Of that, I am guilty,” N grinned, eye smiling at Jaehwan. “I have a bad habit of wondering how everyone would look in Goth fashion and you’re no different,”

“I don’t really think it would be me,” Jaehwan admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

“You never know,” N hopped up onto the bar, sitting on it to scoot a little closer to Jaehwan. “There’s all kinds of Goth. The only limit is your imagination,”

“Ah,” Jaehwan nodded his head, turning to scan the crowd once again. N was right though – everyone in the room might’ve been Goth, but there were countless variances in styles, some of them even unique to the person wearing it.

“No pressure though,” N said, patting his shoulder, making Jaehwan turn back towards him. “You have to love it to live it, and there’s no sense in living it if you don’t love it,”

Jaehwan smiled at that, amazed at N’s words. It had been a long time since he’d heard anything so encouraging from someone his age – and he definitely never expected the words to come from a Goth man with cherry hair and eye makeup.

The trance music suddenly dimmed, the flickering lasers and lights fading away. Realizing the show must’ve been about to start, Jaehwan turned his head towards the stage, wondering what was about to happen. N hopped over the bar and took a seat on the stool next to Jaehwan, his eyes focused on the stage as the dance floor finally cleared of all of its occupants.

The curtains on stage parted with a rustle, revealing a woman with long, jet black hair and a Victorian style black and red dress seated in front of an ebony piano. Even from a distance Jaehwan thought she was rather stunning to look at – like a dark princess. She lowered her long fingers to the keys and began to play a soft, lilting melody. Jaehwan instantly recognized it as the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. It was eerily appropriate for the setting, but played so beautifully that he quickly found himself lost in the notes.

“She’s been preparing for this performance for weeks,” N said to him quietly. “She was nervous about it,”

“She’s amazing,” Jaehwan breathed.

“She is,” N agreed before falling silent once more, allowing the music to play throughout the club. Jaehwan was glad something like this could be embraced, especially here of all places. It brought a longing to his heart, one that urged him to step back up onto a stage once more. He hadn’t been in the spotlight since he performed in his final musical when he was still in high school.

The final notes were accompanied by applause and a few rather noisy whoops and cheers from one particular table. Jaehwan guessed they must’ve been her friends. The girl slid off the stage and skipped over to them, receiving an embrace from one of the other girls at the table and a few high fives from others before she sat down again. The curtains swept closed in preparation for the next act.

“The shows vary from day to day,” N said, turning towards Jaehwan again. “On Saturday’s, it’s mostly musical performances, but on Sunday’s there’s theater. Wednesday nights are open microphone, so on those nights, anyone can get on stage and perform whatever they want,”

Jaehwan nodding his head, thinking if there were more musical performances, he’d definitely enjoy what would come next.

The curtains whipped open, the spotlight suddenly locking onto a man with a shock of white hair. A few people in the crowd let out a delighted cry, welcoming the sight of him. The music came next, an upbeat dance track that the man immediately began to move to. He was good, that was for certain, and Jaehwan found himself entranced by the movements of his body. His arms were bare from the sleeveless shirt, and even from afar he could see how toned they were.

Jaehwan’s eyes were unable to look away, even as a woman stepped out on stage to dance with him. It didn’t take long for the man’s hands to fall on her body, dancing with her as she moved in a manner that made her appear pliant to each touch. Her head fell back, and Jaehwan felt a surge of lust spark through him when he watched his lips lower to her neck. Even from a distance, he saw the bite and the way his hand held her head in place.

“Ah...the fan favourite,” N said breathlessly, fanning himself with his hand.

Jaehwan swallowed thickly, understanding why. The man dripped power, and the girl was helpless to it, though not in a sexist way at all. It was more that she’d been enchanted by the man – ensnared by some sort of spell. She slid to the ground once the man removed his mouth, leaving her limp. From afar, Jaehwan watched a finger stroke over his lip, a trickle of false blood dripping from the corner of his mouth just before the song ended and the lights flickered out. Jaehwan was only dimly aware that he’d just witnessed something akin vampire erotica in real life. His pants felt tight.

The crowd was cheering, but the sound was a little faint until N gently patted his shoulder.

“Sorry,” he said with a light laugh. “Was that too much for you?”

“Ah...no...I just...didn’t expect it,” Jaehwan managed to get out. He folded his hands over his bulge, hoping it would disappear on its own.

“I have no doubt if it was allowed, Ravi would do so much more than that, but honestly he has his act down to a fine art,”

“R-Ravi...?” Jaehwan questioned.

N nodded his head, his lips curling into yet another grin. “He’ll probably join us here as soon as he’s done cleaning up. You can introduce yourself to him. I’m sure he’ll be happy to meet you too. He loves new people,”

Jaehwan didn’t think he could handle seeing Ravi up close. “And that was...vampirism?” he asked faintly.

N nodded once more, propping his elbow up on the bar beside him to rest his chin on his fist. “Do you like vampires? Ravi likes them a lot. He hates Twilight though so don’t try to talk to him about it,”

Jaehwan let out a laugh at that despite his discomfort.

“Ravi is also one of the actors in an ongoing play series. There’s a new part every month. Starlight will be full tomorrow since the final act of the season is showing. Ah—there he is! Ravi!” N called out, waving his hand.

Jaehwan immediately felt his face grow hot as Ravi approached. Up close, he was vastly different. Sweat still glimmered on his arms and neck, and his shock of white hair had turned vibrant purple beneath the black light. His lips were peeled back in a cheerful smile, exposing what were unmistakably fangs possibly glued to his teeth. He even wore contact lenses; the violet irises surrounded by thick eyeliner made Jaehwan’s heart skip a beat.

N’s arm slid around his shoulder, pulling him in for a side hug. “Ravi,” he said cheerfully. “This is Jaehwan. He’s the latest victim of a joke,”

Jaehwan wanted to hide his face as Ravi turned his gaze towards him.

“Sorry to hear that,” Ravi said, “I hope you’re having fun anyway. Did you enjoy the show?” he smiled again, this time with his lips closed. Jaehwan was glad for it – he didn’t think he could handle another peek at those fangs. He was still reeling from the sight of the bite up on stage, and Jaehwan was pretty certain he did not have a vampire fetish.

“Well, he hasn’t run off yet,” N said cheerfully, finally releasing Jaehwan. “Your sister played amazingly by the way. Send her my compliments,”

Ravi grinned broadly at that, prompting Jaehwan to quickly look away once more.

“Didn’t she? I told her she’d do amazing,” Ravi said as he hopped up onto the stool beside N before leaning back against the bar counter. Jaehwan snuck a glance over at him, his eyes lingering perhaps a little too long on Ravi’s flawlessly toned arms. He looked away again, his face flushed. Things were starting to get a little too hot in the club for his liking.

Sliding off the bar stool, Jaehwan murmured an apology before turning to N and dipping into a bow.

“I think I should go now. I had fun, I mean...thanks for everything,” he said, maybe a little too quickly.

N’s eyes widened a little before he gave a little sigh of disappointment. “Ah, right after I said you haven’t run off...I should’ve knocked on wood...” he said before smiling at Jaehwan, tilting his head to the side. “You come back anytime, alright?”

Jaehwan merely nodded his head, saying thank you once more before retreating perhaps a little too quickly to have been casual. Yes, running, he was definitely running. His pants were still far too tight. He half ran up the stairs, heading straight for his car and climbing inside, letting out a breathless sound. How could he have fallen apart so quickly? Never in his life had he had such a reaction to another human being, and the fact that it had been Ravi was more shocking than anything else.

Groaning, he pressed his forehead against the edge of the steering wheel before forcing himself to start the car and head for home. He was halfway there before he realized he’d forgotten to return Leo’s shirt.


	2. Part 1 - 2

The morning came swiftly for Jaehwan, a faint lingering dream at the back of his mind making him hope Starlight nightclub had been just that – a dream. The shirt draped over the back of his desk chair told him otherwise. He needed to return it, but that meant going back to the nightclub where the reason for last night’s cold shower was.

The cold shower that was completely ineffective.

Jaehwan wasn’t exactly against masturbation, but at the same time he didn’t enjoy taking the time to get himself off. It felt humiliating to him, so when he came with a groan beneath the spray of the shower, he immediately fought the urge to cry. He disliked feeling such a carnal urge to just have sex because he found someone attractive. He valued love and romance far more than lust and sex. Of course, he didn’t have a problem with people who enjoyed indulging themselves, but Jaehwan just...didn’t understand it. He couldn’t have sex without love, but apparently a man with glue on fangs and too much eyeliner had thrown that under the bus. The image of Ravi’s teeth against the woman’s neck in the theater had him sweating all over again despite the icy rain of the shower.

Jaehwan was glad that the image hadn’t haunted his dreams too.

Picking up his cell phone, he heaved a sigh and wrinkled his nose. Jimin had sent Jaehwan several text messages overnight, asking him where he’d been. Staring at the message, his lips thinned before he typed a rather biting message back in return.

_I’d appreciate if you stopped pulling these stunts on me. I highly doubt you were at a Goth nightclub last night. Cut it out, Jimin._

Jaehwan erased the message a moment later, replacing it with something else.

_I was where you sent me. Where were you?_

He clicked send on that one that time, letting his phone fall to his side as he twiddled his toes beneath the warm blanket. How should he return Leo’s shirt to him? Should he just go...? Why should he be so worried about it anyway? He was just returning a shirt – maybe he wouldn’t have to deal with Ravi at all.

Finally rolling himself out of bed, Jaehwan grabbed his worn hoodie off the floor and pulled it on, heading for the kitchen to make coffee and toast for breakfast. He had to work today, but at least it would be a half decent distraction until he had to go back to Starlight. With any luck, he could keep Ravi off his mind.

 

...

 

Jaehwan found it increasingly difficult to keep Starlight and Ravi off his mind as the day wore on. As his shift wound to a close around seven that night, he began to fret over what he would wear down to the club, realizing he had very few black clothes. Jaehwan was a colour type of guy, preferring vibrant colours opposed to the duller, darker ones. In the end, he managed to dig out a pair of baggy black slacks and a band t-shirt – an old one from his early high school years. Snipping off a loose thread, he wondered if he still had the albums tucked away in a drawer somewhere. He could faintly hear his favourite songs ringing their lyrics through his mind. Maybe he should give them a listen for old time’s sake...

Grabbing his car keys, Jaehwan headed out the door, clutching Leo’s shirt in his free hand. The drive wasn’t long, but it certainly felt like it. Over and over, he ran the script through his mind, telling himself he would just go in, hand over the shirt and leave before he saw Ravi.

Pulling into the parking lot across the street, he silently prayed it would go well. He climbed out of his car, pulling open the first door to Starlight before he could start to second guess himself. The sound of the trance music filtered through his ears as he approached the door at the bottom of the stairs, pushing his way into it. His eyes widened a little when he noticed the thick crowd, having not expected to see so many Goth’s in one place. There weren’t as many people as there were in other nightclubs, but for a place like this, it had become a little stuffy – and yet, there was just enough space that he still felt comfortable.

Turning his head towards the bar, he sighed in relief when he spotted N’s vibrantly red hair behind the counter. He slipped through the crowd, feeling less out of place in the black clothes as he approached the bar. He allowed himself to smile when he reached the counter, immediately catching N’s attention.

He didn’t expect to see N’s expression brighten vibrantly, his eyes widening with delight as he let out a rather cheerful sound.

“Jaehwan!” He cried, practically climbing over the bar to momentarily wrap his arms around Jaehwan’s neck. “You came back!”

“I just wanted to return Leo’s shirt,” Jaehwan insisted, holding out the slightly crumpled garment. “And to say thanks again for yesterday,”

“Are you leaving again?” N asked, his lips pouting slightly. “Stay awhile – the show will start soon,”

Jaehwan wanted to say no. He wanted to slip out of the room and escape before the person he was trying to avoid appeared. Somehow though, N’s abnormally large eyes and pouting lips convinced him that maybe he could stay for the show.

“Ah...alright,” he sighed, nodding his head. He didn’t feel any sort of regret when N smiled with delight, hopping back to his side of the bar.

“Can I get you another smoothie then?” He asked brightly.

“Sure,” Jaehwan agreed, tugging his wallet from his pocket. He glanced up at the menu that gleamed in the black light, picking just enough change out to pay for it, pushing it over the counter.

“You know...” N was saying as he dumped ingredients into the blender. “Ravi was a little sad when you took off so suddenly. He thinks he scared you off,”

“Did he?” Jaehwan asked, trying to keep his voice from hitting that slightly shrill pitch it tended to when anxiety crept up onto him.

“It certainly looked like he did,” N looked up at him, holding the lid on the blender as he pushed the button. Jaehwan watched the pink liquid spin inside the appliance, trying not to fret too hard over that fact. He _had_ left in a fashion that was probably too rapid to have been calm, and it _had_ been shortly after Ravi’s arrival. How could he explain that Ravi hadn’t scared him so much as Jaehwan had just needed to get out for a bit?

N set the smoothie in front of Jaehwan, collecting the change with delicate fingers. Jaehwan couldn’t help but notice the pink and purple nail art that zigzagged over his fingernails. He wondered if he’d done it himself.

“Ravi’s a vampire Goth,” N said, leaning on the counter, his eyes on the clock. “But I promise he’s one of the least scary vampire Goth’s you will ever meet here. He’s just kinky,”

Jaehwan nearly choked on his smoothie, his face flushing a vibrant shade of red as N grinned cheekily at him. The mere idea that Ravi had his fair share of sexual kinks had Jaehwan’s head spinning. The fangs and the biting were bad enough – he didn’t need more fantasies tainting his mind to go along with it.

The laser lights faded away along with the trance music as the clock struck ten. N clambered over the bar once more and Jaehwan actually wondered if he ever went around anything that was in his way. Turning the bar stool around, Jaehwan held his drink between his hands as he looked towards the stage, waiting for the show to start. N was practically vibrating in his seat.

The black lights flickered out, leaving the room in total darkness. A boy protested noisily that he still hadn’t found his seat, raucous laughter filling the darkness. The lights remained off until the faint chuckles began to die down.

The show began with the crying of a baby. N let out a little gasp and scooted closer to Jaehwan, whispering in his ear in an attempt to fill him in on what was currently happening. The crying baby, apparently, was the child of Ravi and his mortal wife. It brought a twinge of jealousy to Jaehwan’s heart, the origin of which irritated him a little. There was no sense in being jealous over a potential relationship a near stranger had.

The actress was holding a baby in her arms, gently shushing it and rocking it tenderly, trying to bring it to quiet. The child, however, continued to wail until the woman offered her finger. He soon stopped crying, the woman crooning to him, encouraging the child to drink as much as he needed. N leaned on Jaehwan’s shoulder, clinging onto his arm like a lifeline.

“Ravi was captured by a vampire slayer in the last scene,” he said softly. “He didn’t see his child born,”

Admittedly, that was a very sad thought. Jaehwan bit his lip as he watched the tender scene unfold, the woman revealing the baby’s name, Hongbin, and telling him soft stories about his father. She promised he would grow up strong and make him proud.

The lights faded away, followed by what could only be described as a montage as baby Hongbin grew to a toddler, then a child, then a young teenager – and then, he was an adult with jet black hair and a thick fringe that covered his eye. His clothes were unusual, thick and wild looking, but they suited him. He stepped out onto the stage, meeting his mother in the middle. She had a sad smile on her face as she looked to Hongbin, softly touching his cheeks.

“Why are you crying, mother?” Hongbin asked softly.

“Because you’re a man now...your father would be so proud...” she replied, her voice choked with emotion.

“Didn’t you always say he would know?” Hongbin questioned, letting out a little laugh. “Don’t cry, mother,”

“I just wish he could see you in person, not through my eyes,”

The sorrowful, teary moment came to a close with a noisy crash. Both mother and child panicked, attempting to flee but were blocked by two masked figures stepping onto the stage, blocking their path. When they ran the other way, they were blocked once more. N’s grip on Jaehwan’s arm grew unbearably tight as a tall man with a cape like a knight stepped onto the stage.

“He’s the slayer,” N breathed.

Jaehwan nodded his head, nervously chewing on his straw as he watched a rather rough fight come to a close rather quickly, Hongbin separated from his mother as they both screamed for each other. The scene ended, the club remaining dark until the lights revealed the slumped figure of Ravi. He was chained in manacles and completely shirtless. Jaehwan’s heart did a double thump. He had a _really_ nice body.

The slayer stepped out onto the stage, picking the dirt out from under his fingernails as he boasted about how long he searched for Ravi’s hidden estate. Upon the mention that it had been found, the panic became immediately apparent on his expression. Ravi could only watch helplessly as his wife and child were dragged into the room. The slayer vowed to kill each one, starting with his wife. Unable to break free of the chains, Ravi was helpless. Hongbin, however, was able to escape and protect his mother long enough to free Ravi as well.

The fight came to a dramatic end in which Ravi took the slayer’s stake for his son. Hongbin screamed and cried, managing to murder the slayer in return not too long after. Ravi had just enough life left in him to pass on a ring to his son before he succumbed to his injuries. Jaehwan was silent as he listened to the sniffling sobs all around the theater, trying not to cry himself. N was a mess, his thick eyeliner smearing all over his hands. He swore quietly over it, muttering something about killing Ravi and Hongbin later.

Just when Jaehwan thought the show was over, a new scene began, this one revealing a tall boy with countless piercings in his ears and one in his lower lip. He unfolded a letter sitting on his desk, reading just enough of it out loud for Jaehwan to realize this was the son of the dead slayer. He vowed to kill the vampire that murdered his father just before the lights flashed out with a sharp click. The crowd broke into applause as the black lights came back on, several people immediately rising to their feet to retreat to the bathroom. The way they were covering their faces with napkins told Jaehwan they’d gone to fix their makeup. One look over at N and Jaehwan fully understood why. He couldn’t help but laugh at how smudged N’s eye makeup had become.

“Don’t laugh, oh god, I’m a mess,” he whined. “Don’t let Leo see me,”

“Go fix your makeup,” Jaehwan chuckled, gently nudging him off the bar stool.

N quickly covered his face with his hands before flitting away on his toes, disappearing into the men’s washroom. Jaehwan let out another soft laugh, drinking the last of his smoothie. The crowd was chattering noisily, possibly about the finale of the play. Jaehwan chewed his lip, wondering just when Ravi would find his way out from behind the stage. Jaehwan figured if he was going to leave at any time and never come back, this was the moment. He sighed softly, realizing he’d probably feel guilty if he did that. He at least had to say goodbye to N.

“Did N cry...?” A soft, feathery voice said nearby.

Turning his head, Jaehwan was surprised to see Leo, his hair out of the ponytail he wore in the kitchens. It fluttered around his cheeks in wavy chunks, looking both flawless and messy at the same time. It was an unusual combination.

“Yeah,” Jaehwan replied. “He’s in the bathroom,”

Leo nodded his head before quietly turning and heading for the bathroom. Jaehwan couldn’t help but chuckle, mentally apologizing to N for telling Leo where he’d gone. Setting the empty glass on the bar behind him, Jaehwan turned to watch the groups of people milling around, some of them beginning to pack up for the night. Despite the dramatic ending of the play, plenty of people still looked relatively happy, if not satisfied by the show.

Jaehwan saw the shock of white hair before he saw the head it belonged to. He felt his heart leap in his chest as Ravi emerged from the crowd, talking to Hongbin who was practically swinging off the arm of the piercing laden boy who played the second slayer. Swallowing thickly, Jaehwan got ready to leap off his chair and disappear into the crowd, but Ravi had already spotted him, his eyes widening as he raised a hand in greeting and slid over to him. At the very least he had his shirt on now, even if his arms were as exposed as they had been yesterday.

“Jaehwan!” He said brightly. “I didn’t think you’d come back. I’m sorry I scared you yesterday,”

“Ah, you didn’t,” Jaehwan shook his head, trying not to stare at Ravi’s lips, not wanting to see the fangs. His efforts were proven rather useless almost immediately when Hongbin planted his hands on Jaehwan’s knees and leaned in close, his lips peeling into a cheeky, dimpled grin. He had fangs just like Ravi’s, and his eyes were pure white with a black outlined iris and pupil.

“So you’re Jaehwan,” he said, tilting his head to the side, studying him for a moment. Before Jaehwan could stop him, he’d leaned in uncomfortably close and licked a long, wet line up the side of his neck. Jaehwan froze, an unpleasant chill running down his spine as Ravi pulled Hongbin off him.

“Don’t freak him out,” Ravi said. “Go bite Hyuk. He doesn’t care,”

The boy with the piercings, Hyuk apparently, let out a disparaging sigh, not even flinching when Hongbin wrapped himself around him and mouthed at his shoulder. Jaehwan once again forced himself to look away, his eyes finding Ravi once again. His heart did a double thump.

“Want to take a walk...?” Ravi questioned, smiling with his lips closed. “I could use fresh air,”

Jaehwan had been about to say no, but he heard Hyuk hiss under his breath a few feet away. Sneaking a glance at them, Jaehwan nearly groaned at the sight of Hongbin sucking luxuriously on his neck, his hands gripping his waist from behind. Hyuk looked like he was enjoying himself just as much.

“Yeah, please,” Jaehwan said quickly, jumping off the bar stool and immediately stepping past Ravi, wanting to get away from the duo. Falling into step beside him, Ravi guided him quietly to a door at the back of the club, pushing his way through it. Jaehwan followed, moving sluggishly up two sets of stairs, his eyes focused on Ravi’s back. The black lights didn’t line this stairwell, and it made him wonder where it was they were going.

The stairs led to another door that opened onto a balcony that overlooked an alley way. There were only a handful of people outside, talking quietly amongst themselves. Ravi ignored them, walking up to the railing and turning around to lean against it.

“Sorry about Hongbin,” he said gently, smiling lightly yet again. “I’m afraid he thinks he’s a vampire,”

“Oh,” Jaehwan chewed the inside of his lip, going to stand next to Ravi, leaning forwards instead. “Is that...common?”

“Not really,” Ravi shrugged his shoulders. “Hongbin’s a bit...special. He licks people when he first meets them. Supposedly he can figure out what kind of person someone is from the taste of their life energy,”

“That’s odd,” Jaehwan said before biting his lip again. “No offense,”

Ravi shook his head once more. “Odd is the word, but nobody’s one to judge. We just accept Hongbin for who he is and let him bite our necks sometimes when he’s in a mood. Usually he goes after Hyuk. He gets covered in bites sometimes,”

“Hyuk doesn’t stop him?” Jaehwan asked raising an eyebrow.

“Nah, Hyuk likes it,” Ravi chuckled, his lips peeling back in a grin once again. Jaehwan looked away at the sight of the fangs. “And it’s not like the fangs we wear are capable of puncturing skin. They’re too soft for that. It just feels like it is,”

Jaehwan nodded his head slowly, trying not to think about what Ravi looked like with his teeth planted firmly on the woman’s neck the day before and the manner in which Hongbin had latched onto Hyuk. It had his blood boiling faintly, a numb curiosity sparking in his gut – one that begged for Ravi to bite him.

“So I guess you’ve...bitten lots of people too,” Jaehwan said quietly. “Or was it just that girl in your performance yesterday?”

 “Define a lot,” he says with a rather broad grin.

Jaehwan felt his ears heat up, looking away once more.

“I like to bite,” Ravi admitted casually, as though he were just talking about the weather. “I don’t do it without permission like Hongbin does, and I don’t think I’m a vampire. I just like to bite, and I like having fangs to do it with,”

Jaehwan faintly remembered what N had said about Ravi just being ‘kinky’. He felt a little flustered, the curiosity bubbling in his stomach a little more. He swallowed around the lump in his throat before he finally looked back over at Ravi, trying not to look too hard at his bright violet eyes.

“I guess that’s cool,” he said faintly, nodding his head a little.

Ravi hummed quietly, looking away from Jaehwan to scan the balcony in front of them. The small number of people had gone back inside, leaving them completely alone. Jaehwan didn’t know how he felt about that fact. It had his heart stammering even faster in his chest.

“Do you like vampires, Jaehwan?” Ravi asked, his eyes on the starry sky.

“I never thought about them much,” Jaehwan admitted, scraping his toe along the wood of the balcony.

“Really?” Ravi seemed a little baffled by it, but he brushed it off with a shrug. “I always thought they were cool. They could do anything, go anywhere – and they were stronger and more powerful than a human, not to mention they were immortal,” Ravi finally took his gaze off the sky, looking down at Jaehwan. “They were the thing I wanted to be the most, and you already know I don’t mind the biting,”

Jaehwan laughed a little at that, keeping his eyes as focused on the wood beneath his toe as he could. “I can understand how they’re cool, I just think they’re...over glorified,”

“Yeah, in the wrong way,” Ravi sighed. “Oh well, that’s the media. I like their predatory side. Haven’t you ever wondered what it would feel like to be bitten?”

“No,” Jaehwan lied. “I can’t say I have,”

Ravi let out a chuckle, like he wasn’t convinced. “You sure? I could grant your wish,” he said with a wink.

Jaehwan flushed crimson, unconsciously squeezing his neck into his shoulders as though to protect it.

Ravi let out an amused chuckle, gently patting his arm. “I’m teasing you. But if you are curious, you can ask me. You’re cute, so I really wouldn’t mind,”

Jaehwan’s stomach twisted in his gut. “C-Cute?” Jaehwan sputtered out. He quietly wondered if Ravi was like this with everyone. Nobody ever called him cute, especially not other guys.

Ravi hummed, nodding his head. “Very. I thought you were when I saw you yesterday but I hesitated. I didn’t want to scare you off or anything, but I guess I did anyway. Though you did say I didn’t,” he glanced over at Jaehwan, searching for confirmation.

“You didn’t...” Jaehwan confirmed. “I just...” he trailed off, not wanting to make up any kind of excuse for himself. He couldn’t very well say he enjoyed Ravi’s performance to the point where his pants had gone too tight to be comfortable. He tried to brush it off with a quiet ‘never mind’, but Ravi already wanted to hear the rest.

“You just what?” He asked, tilting his head to the side.

“Nothing, I just had to go,” Jaehwan insisted.

Ravi chuckled softly, reaching over and flicking a finger along his cheek, making Jaehwan squirm a little. “You’re cute,” he said, a cheeky smile on his face.

Jaehwan’s heart fluttered in his chest before he forced himself to look away once again, nervously gripping the railing yet again. Slowly, Ravi’s smile faded from his expression, but his violet eyes never left Jaehwan. The gaze was probing and unnerving, and it sent chills down his spine.

“Jaehwan...” Ravi said quietly. “Can I be honest?”

Alarm bells chimed weakly in the back of his mind as Jaehwan nodded his head slowly.

“I really want to bite you,” Ravi mumbled, his eyes darting away with a twinge of shyness. “Can I?”

Jaehwan’s heart thundered in his chest at the question. He so desperately wanted to say yes despite the wild terror rushing through him. His face was flushed, and he once again felt heat pooling in his pants exactly where he didn’t want it. He opened his mouth to reply, turning towards Ravi and meeting his eyes. He was enchanting with that black eyeliner – Jaehwan couldn’t help but close his mouth once more and nodded his head.

Ravi slid closer to him, his arms reaching for him and finding his waist. His heart pounding, Jaehwan closed his eyes, timidly stepping closer to Ravi’s slightly taller body. Hot breath played over the skin of his neck and a hand softly stroked through the hair on the back of his head.

A breathless gasp slid from Jaehwan’s throat as he felt the sting of the fangs against the sensitive nerves of his neck. They dug just hard enough to create the painful pressure, holding in place as Ravi sucked softly. Jaehwan wrapped his arms around Ravi’s back, letting his head fall to the side as he whined weakly, feeling the fangs bite over and over, leaving stinging numbness in their wake. Ravi’s breath was hot, his tongue lapping at every bite as Jaehwan’s whimpers began to turn into moans, his pants tightening with each new sensation. Ravi’s hands gripped his hips a little tighter, the quietest of groans slipping from his lips as he finally pulled away from Jaehwan’s neck.

“You’re...” Ravi panted softly, his lips shiny, cheeks flushed in the same manner Jaehwan knew his were. “You’re my new favourite...” he breathed. “Let me do this again...”

“Now...?” Jaehwan trembled softly, making Ravi’s violet eyes darken just slightly.

“Now works,” Ravi replied before he leaned in once more, his fangs biting into the untouched side of Jaehwan’s neck.


	3. Part 3/3

Jaehwan returned home with damp underwear and a pink tinge to his cheeks. He hadn’t been able to face N after the session with Ravi on the balcony, so he’d slipped out of the nightclub, hoping the other man would pass on his goodbyes. His neck was aching from Ravi’s bites, and he knew without looking that marks had been left – some of them possibly very vivid on his pale skin.

Not to mention there was the issue with his underwear.

The biting had reached a tipping point even Jaehwan couldn’t say no to. Ravi’s hips had pinned his own to the railing of the balcony. The feeling of the friction of their hips coupled with the bites to his neck had embarrassingly loud sounds slipping from his throat. The only saving grace was the fact that Jaehwan’s sounds had been accompanied by Ravi’s erotic groans, ones he could still hear in his ears even as he made his way home.

Admittedly, Jaehwan felt ashamed. He’d never acted on lust before, and it made him feel tainted and foul. Yet, the other part of him didn’t regret a second of the session with Ravi and wanted so much more than dry sex. It was a confusing set of emotions, and it followed him all the way into his apartment.

Jaehwan stripped off his soiled underwear and pants, dumping them into his laundry basket along the way to the bathroom. He tossed his shirt in the middle of his bedroom floor before turning on the shower, preparing to scrub the day away. He took a hot one this time, hoping the water would cleanse his body and mind of the shame and regret he was feeling. He hated the emotions – he didn’t want to feel them, especially since Ravi had asked for permission with each new step.

Ravi had been a _very_ good partner. Jaehwan was just having trouble accepting his decisions as his own. He just wasn’t _used_ to making them. It had been a really long time since he’d been involved with anyone, sexually or romantically.

Sighing heavily, Jaehwan looked down at his body. He’d scrubbed to the point where his skin had turned red, and he still felt no different. He just needed to accept his decisions and move on from them.

“I’m sorry, Ravi,” he mumbled, finally turning the shower off. He wished he knew what Ravi was feeling about the situation. Maybe he felt exactly the way Jaehwan was feeling now – that might make him feel significantly better. Reaching for the towel, Jaehwan dried himself off, eyeing the fogged mirror as he did so. He hadn’t looked at his neck yet, and he was hesitant to do so.

Biting his lip, Jaehwan carefully wiped a circle into the mirror, his breath catching in his throat as the saw the marks, large and small, indented into his neck. There was a hickey on one side of his neck – the side Ravi had been biting on while their hips rolled in tandem – and everywhere else there were the red and blue impressions where Ravi’s fangs had been. He looked like vampire bait – and frankly, he might as well have been. Jaehwan groaned, wondering how he was going to possibly hide all of the marks...he’d have to settle for a high collared shirt tomorrow, but even then, it wouldn’t hide the hickey which stood out vibrantly just below his ear. He was quite certainly going to be the subject of some teasing at work tomorrow.

He just hoped his co-workers wouldn’t ask why he looked like he’d been mauled by a vampire.

 

...

 

Jaehwan thought about returning to Starlight a lot over the next week. He was held back by the quiet worries that lingered at the back of his mind, often distracting him from work. His co-workers never let him live it down, teasing him relentlessly whenever they caught him spacing out. Jaehwan didn't blame them, but he didn't exactly appreciate their teasing either.

The marks on his neck had been just as vivid the morning after, and none of his summer shirts had collars high enough to hide them all. He had to settle for a button up that only half covered his neck, and certainly not the largest and most vivid mark of all. The teasing had started the moment he arrived at work, making him feel even more humiliated than he already was. He was grateful when of his female co-workers gently pulled him into the staff washroom to apply makeup so flawlessly to his neck that each mark was hid from sight. She didn't ask who it was or what had happened - she didn't even mention that he'd quite obviously had some kind of kinky encounter in recent times. Jaehwan was grateful for it. He wasn't even remotely interested in explaining Ravi to anyone.

Though his co-worker applied the makeup every day without fail and gave him a bottle of concealer so he could do it himself at home, Jaehwan was still the subject of teasing. Some of his more vulgar co-workers asked if he was willing to share his ‘wildcat’, others asking him if he had any other interesting encounters with his ‘dominatrix’ and requesting the details. Jaehwan ignored each one of them.

Jaehwan wondered if going back to Starlight was a good idea. The thought of seeing Ravi again had his heart racing and his gut twisting. He was attracted to Ravi, that was for certain, but the question was whether or not he wanted the relationship to continue as it was. Another tryst with Ravi sounded exciting, but it also went against the romantic side of him. The question was, did he want a romance with a Goth man with false fangs?

The question kept him away from Starlight for the entire weekend. Guilt flooded his chest as the last of Ravi's marks faded away by the Monday. He was able to return the bottle of concealer to his co-worker, thanking her for her help and receiving a smile in return. After that, it was more work and pretending he wasn't worried about how Ravi must've been feeling. Jaehwan had essentially disappeared with few words, and he hadn't returned even a week later. He owed Ravi an apology - and an explanation for his actions.

The rest of the week passed by sluggishly, Jaehwan's schedule and near permanent anxieties preventing him from returning sooner than Friday. His hands were trembling against the steering wheel as he drove back to Starlight, his stomach turning inside out in a manner that made him want to be ill. He tried to steady his nerves as he pulled into the parking lot across the street, running the script over in his head one last time. He couldn't find worst case scenario, but he knew that the last thing he wanted was for Ravi to misunderstand.

Friday night seemed to be one of the popular days at Starlight despite there being no schedule. Attendees were scattered all about the room, the trance music thrumming in the background while some danced with their friends. Jaehwan scanned the crowd, needing to stand on his toes just slightly to see towards the bar, finding N's blazing hair as easily as always. He wove his way through the crowd, watching for any sign of Ravi's white hair, chewing the inside of his lip. The idea that he might not have even been at the club that night became prominent on his mind.

N looked up the moment Jaehwan slid up to the bar, squeezing in between two of the stools. His heavily lined eyes widened before his lips curled into a smile, this one not nearly as bright as it had been the last time they'd met. Jaehwan felt his heart sink in his chest.

"Jaehwan," he said, leaning over the counter slightly. "How have you been?"

"Alright," Jaehwan admitted with a slight shrug. "I came to..." he trailed off, wondering just what he would say. “Is Ravi here?"

N hummed his confirmation, nodding his head. "He's upstairs. He'll be down later tonight to wait tables for a few hours,"

Jaehwan glanced up at the ceiling for a moment, wondering where the upstairs was. He hadn't known there was one – there were no staircases that led to a second level as far as he knew, though the building was tall enough easily fit a second story.

"Do you need him for something?" N questioned, his hands folded on the bar in front of him.

"I just...wanted to talk to him," Jaehwan said, taking a moment to consider elaborating. N’s painfully neutral expression told him some kind of damage had been done. "I need to apologize,"

N hummed once more, nodding his head. "Why the long wait though? It's been nearly two weeks. And yes, I know what happened between you two on the balcony. Ravi told me last Saturday,"

"Ah," Jaehwan tried not to let his face heat up in embarrassment. If N knew, there might've been a chance more people knew. But the fact that Ravi had waited a week before mentioning it to anyone told Jaehwan that he'd fully intended to keep their encounter private, but ended up not doing so. "Is he...upset with me?" Jaehwan asked, fearing the worst.

"Upset, yes," N confirmed with a nod. "It might be more directed at himself and less towards you. It's hard to tell,"

Jaehwan nodded slowly, hesitating a moment before nervously returning his gaze to N. "Can I go speak to him? I just...really need to apologize,"

"About what?" N asked, probing him a little more. Jaehwan figured he was just trying to protect his friend. It had him more than a little worried that Ravi was far more upset about the situation than N was letting on.

"For...disappearing," Jaehwan admitted, another twist of guilt making him want to cringe. "I shouldn't have done it, I just..."

"No need to explain why you disappeared to me," N said, stopping Jaehwan's words before he could continue. "If you have no ill intent, go through the kitchen door. There's a staircase near the back leading up to the second floor. He's up there somewhere, just look for him,"

Jaehwan nodded his head, breathlessly thanking N before stepping around to the other side of the bar. He felt the abnormally large eyes on him as he slipped into the kitchen, squinting as the bright light assaulted his eyes. He could hear the clattering of pots and pans as Leo cooked meals one after the other, sparing Jaehwan only the briefest of glances, his expression unreadable. Jaehwan considered saying something, but decided maybe it was best he remain quiet.

The staircase was easy to find, tucked behind a wall that also hid a narrow corridor leading to a janitor’s closet. The stairs were steep, leading to an unmarked door just as the stairs leading to the balcony had. Jaehwan tried the knob, finding it unlocked. Letting out a nervous breath, he pushed his way inside, his eyes widening a little as he looked upon what was unmistakably an apartment. It had a custom ornate feel to it with a touch of the Goth style Jaehwan was starting to become rather familiar with.

Kicking off his shoes, Jaehwan stepped into the apartment, eyeing all of the doors and wondering which one Ravi was currently behind. He thought about calling out, not wanting to try to push into any of the rooms and potentially invade Ravi's privacy – or anyone's for that matter considering this looked more like a house than another part of the club.

A door suddenly swung open, and Jaehwan froze immediately, his eyes darting up and down the unfamiliar yet completely familiar figure of Ravi. If it hadn't been for his white hair, Jaehwan didn't think he would've immediately recognized him. He was barefaced, and the violet contact lenses he was so used to seeing had given way to pools of brown so deep they looked black. Jaehwan also would've bet that if Ravi chose to smile, the fangs would be absent too.

"Jaehwan?" Ravi stammered, looking just as shocked as Jaehwan felt. "What are you doing here?"

"I just..." Jaehwan felt tongue tied. Somehow, despite knowing Ravi had always worn makeup, he'd never imagined the man that would be beneath it. Ravi was incredibly handsome. "N told me you'd be up here,"

"I see..." Ravi said quietly, running a hand through his tousled hair, glancing away for a brief moment. "So you came to find me," he turned his attention back to Jaehwan, seeking confirmation.

"Yeah I..." Jaehwan tried to find the script he'd rehearsed so many times on the way to the club. Somehow it had all flown away like pages in the wind. "I needed to...apologize,"

"For what?" Ravi questioned, his expression as neutral as it could get. Jaehwan could faintly see the turmoil hidden just beneath the calm countenance.

"For...disappearing," Jaehwan said with a sigh, his shoulders slumping a little. "It was wrong of me. I should've just talked to you properly, and instead I chose to run away. For that, I'm really, really sorry,"

"You know, you..." Ravi fidgeted slightly before he pushed his hands into his pockets. "You didn't have to say yes. I didn't mean to pressure you or anything,"

Jaehwan just shook his head, letting out a faint laugh. "No...Ravi I...chose to say yes," it was his turn to look away, focusing on a rather beautiful painting of what must've been a pagan mother goddess. "I don't normally allow myself to get that close to someone so quickly, so...it frightened me a little when I finally realized everything and...Well, I was just scared," he admitted, closing his eyes.

"Ah," Ravi hummed softly, hesitating only a moment before moving towards Jaehwan, lightly laying a hand on his shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It's alright,"

Looking up at him rather shyly, the corners of Jaehwan's lips quirked upwards slightly in a weak smile. "I upset you, didn't I?" he asked.

Ravi immediately shook his head. "No, I was upset with myself. I thought I'd ruined everything, and then when you didn't come back I just...thought you were never coming back,"

"I did though," Jaehwan said, allowing himself to smile again.

Ravi returned it, his lips peeling back in that familiar grin – this one fangless. "You did," he confirmed. "And I'm glad. I wanted to apologize as well. I got a little ahead of myself – I generally, as a rule, don't do that sort of thing when I first meet someone either. Bite them, maybe," he chuckled at that. "But not what we did,"

Jaehwan felt relief sweep through him. He was glad Ravi felt the same way – though perhaps minus the shame he was now happy to push aside. He turned his gaze back up at him, his heart stuttering as he took in Ravi’s bare face once more. He couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"I never thought I'd see you without your makeup," he teases gently, pulling them away from the current topic.

Ravi seemed to remember at that moment that he was barefaced. His smile disappeared, his hand reaching up to touch his face in search of makeup and finding none. He let out a light laugh, his lips curling into a mischievous grin, his head tilting to the side. "Now that you've seen my mortal form... I must kill you,"

Jaehwan laughed, shaking his head. "Don't worry mortal Ravi, I'll make sure nobody ever finds out," he drew a cross over his heart to prove it. "My lips are sealed,"

"Or I can just make you my fledgling," Ravi said, still smiling cheekily. "I have to get ready for my shift anyway. Want me to do your makeup?"

Jaehwan's heart stuttered at that. "I doubt it would suit me," Jaehwan said, letting out a light laugh.

"You don't have to wear it all the time," Ravi chuckled. "Just try it for the night and see how you like it. You can take it off before you go home tonight,"

Jaehwan couldn't deny his curiosity, chewing his lip as he thought it over. He'd never worn makeup before, so it would be a completely new experience all around. Deciding he really had nothing to lose, he allowed himself to nod his head, feeling glad about the decision when he saw Ravi smile rather cheerfully.

Taking hold of his wrist, Ravi led Jaehwan into the bathroom of the apartment. The counter around the sink was overrun with makeup of all colours and types - though most of it was bottles of liquid eyeliner and tubes of skin whitener. Scanning the counter top, Jaehwan found baskets and sections arranged for N, Ravi and Leo. N had the largest area, and his baskets were filled with dark coloured nail polishes, chapsticks and liquid and pencil eyeliners.

Before Jaehwan could properly take in Ravi's basket, he was being sat down on the edge of the bath tub and eyed critically. Jaehwan fidgeted a little, feeling a little exposed once more.

"I'll go easy on you," Ravi said, giving him a smile. "And if you want, I have an extra pair of fangs I keep as spares and green lenses I've never used,"

 _Go big or go home,_ Jaehwan thought to himself, nodding his head again. "Okay, sure,"

Ravi's smile brightened before he reached for the basket.

Jaehwan stayed as still as he could while Ravi pinned his hair back away from his face and applied the makeup. Soft tingles ran down his spine with each stroke of the sponges and brushes, the dampness feeling cool before it dried like a thick mask over his face. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but it also brought a thrill of excitement to him. He couldn't wait to see what Ravi was doing to his features.

"Open your eyes now," Ravi said, prompting him to do so.

Jaehwan felt his face flush behind the makeup that coated his cheeks. He nearly flinched away when Ravi approached with the eyeliner, but he forced himself to remain still, trusting him with the semi-sharp object around his eye. The lines went on smoothly, Ravi's large fingers surprisingly precise as he painted the lines right along the edges and just below it.

Finishing up and replacing the cap of the eyeliner, Ravi gave him a smile, nodding his head. "It looks good on you," he said, making Jaehwan's heart stutter once again.

"I feel like a geisha," he mumbled, making Ravi chuckle.

"I can confirm you're better looking than a geisha," he grinned at that, winking cheekily.  Jaehwan blushed again, glancing away in embarrassment.

Ravi reached back into his basket, pulling out a small container and pressing it into Jaehwan's hand. Realizing it must've been the contact lenses, his heart raced a little faster.

"You have to put these in yourself," Ravi said. "Do you know how?"

Getting to his feet again, Jaehwan nodded his head. "I use to need them for my eyes until I got surgery," he said.

"Ah, you’re a pro then," Ravi chuckled before grabbing for his makeup again. "You do that and I'm going to fix myself up,"

Jaehwan wanted to say Ravi hardly needed any fixing up but he bit his tongue, moving to stand in front of the mirror. When he saw his face, his heart skipped a beat rather violently. Ravi had done a wonderful job applying the makeup and turning his skin two shades whiter than it already had been. The eyeliner was dark, thinner than how Ravi wore it on himself, but it was enough to make his eyes pop in a way Jaehwan couldn’t look away from.

"Do you like it?" Ravi asked, dabbing the makeup onto his own skin and rendering it equally as pale as Jaehwan had become.

"I think I need to get used to it," Jaehwan managed to get out.

Ravi grinned, looking over at him. "It's surprising at first," he says with a nod. "But after a while it's refreshing to become something...more than yourself,"

Examining his face, Jaehwan silently thought there might have been some sort of truth to his words. He looked different and felt different – in fact, the clothes he was wearing no longer felt appropriate for his face, and his hairstyle was even less appropriate, side-swept in the style he usually wore it in. Twisting off the sealed caps of the contact lenses, Jaehwan removed them one at a time and easily set them in place, turning his chocolate brown eyes a green so verdant he felt his breath stolen for a moment.

"Those suit you," Ravi said, watching him for a moment before returning to applying his own makeup. "I thought they would suit me, but I've grown too attached to the purple ones,"

Jaehwan smiled at that, nodding his head as he examined himself in the mirror one last time before dragging his fingers through his hair, messing up the style he'd painstakingly combed into place that morning. He felt Ravi's eyes on him as he ruffled it all out of place, rendering it a tousled mess on the top of his head. A few strands stuck up in odd places, the final gasp of Jaehwan's normal hairstyle before he swept them to a less severe angle with a clever twist of his fingers.

Turning his head to the side, checking for more diverging flyaway hairs, Jaehwan's heart skipped a few beats as he came to the realization that he looked like a Goth – and it actually looked good.

Not a peep slid from Ravi's mouth as he looked away, hastily finishing up his own makeup and replacing the contacts. The plastic fang caps came next, a small amount of adhesive applied to make them stick as Ravi held each one to his teeth, completing the all too familiar look. He turned to face Jaehwan again, flashing him that grin he'd come to know.

"Are you up for giving the fangs a go too?" Ravi asked before handing Jaehwan a tiny bag with the fang caps inside. They were still unopened from when they'd been bought in the store.

"Go big or go home," Jaehwan just replied with a smile, taking them and peeling the package open.

Ravi guided him through the process, occasionally needing to help hold the fang in place while it stuck to his teeth. It was an unusual feeling to have them, but it was also oddly empowering. He flashed the fangs at himself in the mirror, hearing a soft groan on Ravi's end.

"God you look good," Ravi said, giving his shoulders a squeeze. "Good enough to eat,"

Feeling bold, Jaehwan laughed. "Watch it. I could bite you now too,"

"Maybe I'd let you," Ravi purred, sending a chill down Jaehwan's spine when his tongue flicked along the back of his ear.

"Ah...um...I..." Jaehwan stammered, heat pooling in his gut once more. "I don't want..."

"It's alright," Ravi gave his hair a little ruffle, pulling away from his ear once more. "But it can't be a crime to still want to take a little nibble whenever I feel the need. Can I?"

Despite the hesitation and the nervousness of a potential repeat of the session on the balcony, Jaehwan nodded his head once more, allowing Ravi's lips to wrap around his throat once again. He groaned breathlessly, keeping his eyes open just enough to watch in the mirror, panting at the sight of Ravi's lips and tongue moving fluidly across his skin.

"Ah don't—mark," Jaehwan's voice cracked at the sharpness of Ravi's latest bite, moaning weakly.

"We'll cover it," Ravi murmured, removing his lips a few moments later, tilting his head to the side as he took in Jaehwan's softly wrecked expression. "It's not that dark,"

Jaehwan made a face, his eyes darting to the expanse of Ravi's neck before he leaned in, returning the favour with a sharp bite of his own. Ravi let out a gasp, his hand slamming onto the counter to grip it for support, his head falling back to allow Jaehwan's bites. The sound of his moans were electrifying, and Jaehwan barely hesitated to suck a mark of his own into the side of Ravi's neck, feeling fingers tangle weakly into his hair as he did so.

"That's it, that's eno—Jaehwan, stop," Ravi panted, tugging on his hair to pull him away.

Jaehwan pulled away, breathing heavily in time with Ravi's unsteady gasps. For a moment, their eyes met, and Ravi shook his head slowly.

"I want to take my time with you," he said softly. "But I want to do this more often,"

Nodding his head, Jaehwan closed his eyes, trying to still his racing heart. He still felt hot; unbelievably so – but he quietly agreed. Some things were worth moving slowly for, and a potential romance with an undeniably attractive man who found him interesting was definitely one of those things.


End file.
